Rope device for fire escape



Aug. 5, 1969 KHCHIRO Fuse:

ROPE DEVICE FOR FIRE ESCAPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 1'7, 1967 FIG.

I NVEN TOR. K/ICH/RO F055 KIICHIRO FUSE ROPE DEVICE FOR FIRE ESCAPE Aug. 5, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 17, 1967 FIG.8

FIG.5

FIG.7

INVEN'IUR. KUC/l/RO F056 United States Patent 3,459,276 ROPE DEVICE FOR FIRE ESCAPE Kiichiro Fuse, 745 Gaza-Sakai, Sakai-machi, Sawa-gun, Gumma-ken, Japan Filed Oct. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 675,941 Claims priority, application Japan, Oct. 20, 1966, 41/68,581 Int. Cl. A62b 1/14 U.S. Cl. 182-72 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The rope device comprises a rope having one end rigidly fixed and the other end extended to lower place, a support means having an end for supporting said rope and a lowering unit consisting of an engaging means for engaging with the rope to produce frictional force for the rope and a support means for a person, wherein said engaging means is provided with at least two holes passed by the rop which is bent and tensioned by weight of the person whereby fire refugees may safely escape to lower floor or ground with lesser preparation.

In usual fire hazards occurring upstairs in city buildings, accidents often cause much loss of lives of refugees due to difficulty of escaping from outlets in smoke. A variety of escape means have been proposed or practically used such as emergency staircases, sliding ladders and cloth chutes which however are not singly usable, or expensive and inconvenient of operation because of trouble of handling complicate equipment and for other reasons.

This invention is to overcome the above drawbacks and to provide a simple rope device for fire escape which is capable of being installed upstairs and in any room and floor of a building whereby fire refugees may safely escape to lower floor or ground with lesser preparation.

According to this invention, the rope device comprises a rope having one end rigidly fixed and the other end extended to lower place, a support means having an end for supporting said rope and a lowering unit consisting of an engaging means for engaging with the rope to produce frictional force for the rope and a support means for a person, wherein said engaging means is provided with at least two holes passed by the rope which is bent and tensioned by weight of the person.

Other object of this invention is to provide a rope device wherein said holes are substantially closed and through which the rope for a lowering unit is previously passed so as to prevent separation of the lowering unit from the rope and the lowering unit can be used most speedily.

Another object of this invention is to provide a rope device wherein said engaging means is provided with a friction regulating means for controlling frictional force caused from the rope in engagement by which lowering speed of refugees may be adequately controlled.

The above and other objects and characteristics of this invention will become clear from the description below by way of example on an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a rope device for fire escape according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of a lowering device already in arrangement through which a rope is passed;

FIGURE 3 is a front view of a reserve lowering unit through which users can desirably pass a rope and use it;

FIGURE 4 is a view showing details of engagement of a rope of a reserve lowering unit;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are respectively a front view and a side sectional view of another lowering unit;

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FIGURE 7 is a detailed view showing engagement of the reserve lowering unit in FIGURES 5 and 6;

FIGURE 8 is an embodiment of this invention including friction regulating means for controlling frictional force of rope in engagement.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown a container 2 for housing a rope device which is fixed on a pole 1 or a wall at a part connected to a window or outside of a building. The container 2 is in a box form and opened at a part 2a to outside of the building. On the opposite side of the open part 2a is hinged a cover 3 capable of opening or closing but it is usually closed by any fixing means 4. A support 5 is held for example by a shaft 6 movably from the container 2 to the outside of the building. The support is usually housed in the container 2 and can project for use outside the building. Above the shaft 6 of the support 5 is provided a rope fixing rod 7, at the open end 9 of which a rope '8 is fixed. A rope 8 is provided to have a length reaching the ground from upstairs where the container 2 is located. From said open end 9 and an end 10 of the support 5 through holes 11a, 11b and of a lowering unit 11 is passed the rope which is wound at the end part and supported by a support element 12 at the lower part of said support 5. The holes 11a, 11b and 110 for passing the rope are provided in three places at end parts of the lowering unit 11 respectively on each end. A suspension band 13 is supported on the lower end of the lowering unit 11 on which the rope 8 is previously passed through the hole as shown in the drawings. 14 is a fixing pin holding the support 5 housed in place in the container. Users may take out the fixing pin 14 and hold the support 5 in place as shown by chain line in FIGURE 1.

There is provided a holding bar 16 for supporting reserve units 15 on the upper part of the cover 3. As shown in FIGURE 3, a reserve lowering unit 15 having a suspension band 13 may be hung to be freely disengaged. Said reserve lowering unit 15 shown in FIGURE 3 is same as shown in FIGURE 2 in features except in the shape of the rope engaging holes. Each of these holes 15a, 15b and 15c for passing the rope is provided on the inside with spiral portions over one pitch at the end as shown in FIGURE 4. The rope 8 is for example passed through the hole 15A without inserting its end therethrough so that it is possible to fiit the lowering unit 15 readily at a predetermined position of hte rope 8 while leaving the rope 8 in suspended condition at each time for use. The reserve lowering unit shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 are provided with notch 20 or curved portion 21 for hanging the suspension band 13 near the lower end of a .plate 17 as for example of metal. On both sides of the plate 17 are provided engaging parts of rope which is provided with holes 22, 23 and 24 and notches 22a, 23a for passing the rope therethrough, each of said holes being provided with a closing piece 25 which is movable only inwardly and fixed on the plate by adequate means 26. If the rope 8 is passed through the hole to the surface of the plate 17 in an alternate manner and when weight of a person is applied on a suspension band, the rope 8 is hung up as shown in FIGURE 6. Therefore, the rope is bent and tensioned so that the lowering unit may not fall excessively rapidly due to friction of the rope 8 with the plate 17. If required, there may be provided a battery 27, a lamp 28 and a switch 29 at preferred places in the container 2 or a torch adapted to light, when the container is opened, to meet an emergency at night. The rope may be painted such as in red and the band in blue to be readily discernible when the lowering unit is shone by light. Any luminous paint may be applied on the rope or on any other parts of the lowering unit if desired.

The cover 3 may be provided with a glass window 30 to inspect the inside thereof as desired.

The rope -8 may be provided with an adequate means 31 for controlling the friction of the engaged rope as shown in FIGURE 8. There may be used a holding means 31A consisting of hinged two plates holding the rope 8. Said means may have a spring device which engages the rope 8 and connects at one end to the lowering unit and at the other end to the band 13. The frictional force of the rope can be increased by pulling the other end. The rope 8 may be attached at the free end to a weight.

When lowering, the cover 3 of the container 2 is opened, the support 5 is turned outward and the end of the rope 8 is lowered to ground. Then user gets on the suspension band 13 and grips the rope 8 and goes outside of the building. In the lowering unit 11 weight of the user is applied on the rope 8 which is bent and tensioned 50 that the user may be safely lowered, regulating frictional force between the rope and the holes of the lowering unit.

If the lowering units in the container are less in number than the number of users waiting for lowering, they may take out reserve lowering units to start lowering. Although electricity is cut off in emergency at night, the lowering may be accomplished without fail by lighting the lamp or by means of the luminous paint applied on the landing units.

What I claim is:

1. A fire escape device for a building comprising:

(a) a housing fixedly secured to said building adjacent the exterior thereof,

(b) support means carried by said housing and movable from a position inwardly thereof to a position exteriorly of said building,

(c) a rope having one end fixedly connected to said support means,

(d) a lowering unit having means for engaging said rope and frictionally movable with respect thereto,

(e) means carried by said lowering unit for supporting a person,

(f) said lowering unit engaging means comprising at least two apertures through which said rope is passed whereby the weight of a person carried in the support means therefor causes bending and tensioning of said rope relative to said lowering unit,

(g) and a closure for said housing whereby said rope is storable inwardly of said housing, when not in use, and easily movable exteriorly of said building for ready use.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein there are provided means operable by said person for adjusting the frictional force of the rope relative to the lowering unit in order to adjust the speed of said unit.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein at least one additional lowering unit is provided for engagement with said rope and in which reserve lowering units are removably carried by said housing closure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 284,763 9/1883 Scholl l827 327,111 9/1885 Robinson 182-193 339,647 3/1886 Hargrave et al 182-72 358,125 2/1887 Pittman 182-193 1,128,025 2/1915 Mass 182-493 2,544,964 3/1951 Phelan 182-l93 3,022,856 2/1962 Galeano 182193 REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner 

